Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Wednesday 27 October 1999

Scottish Executive

Careers Service

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the implementation of a national careers advice service for Scotland along similar lines to the system to be adopted by the National Assembly for Wales.

Henry McLeish: On 6 October 1999 I announced that I wanted to review the Careers Service using the remit: "To examine the role of the careers service in Scotland, and the scope for change and development of that role in the light of trends and initiatives in education, lifelong learning, and the labour market."

  This review will consider all the options for the future of the careers service. The independently chaired committee is expected to report by the middle of 2000.

Energy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in light of the creation of the new Home Energy Efficiency Scheme in England when is there going to be a similar review of fuel poverty and energy efficiency in Scotland.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Warm Deal, which was introduced on 1 July 1999, is central to tackling fuel poverty and promoting energy efficiency in Scotland. We will be continuously reviewing the scheme to ensure that it best addresses these problems and, of course, will take account of the new Home Energy Efficiency Scheme when it is introduced in England in April 2000.

Energy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive given that England is receiving £260 million for the first two years of the new Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, how much of the remaining £40 million will be made available to the Scottish Executive over the next two years.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I hope to be able to make an announcement soon.

Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail how much each Scottish local authority spent on (a) internal and (b) external public relations consultants, advisors and lobbyists in the financial year 1998-99 or in the most recent financial year for which this information is available.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information centrally.

Genetically Modified Crops

Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-741 by the Minister for Rural Affairs on 7 September 1999, what safeguards are in place to ensure that genetically modified crops are "quarantined" so that they cannot affect more traditional crops, whether by cross-pollination or any other means.

Ross Finnie: All releases for experimental purposes are subjected to specific risk management procedures under the regulatory arrangements designed to reduce the likelihood of spread of the GM plants or pollen from the test site. The independent statutory Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) undertakes detailed environmental risk assessments, on a case by case basis and they advise the Scottish Executive on whether or not a consent should be granted and what conditions should apply. If there was concern that harm might be done to the environment, neighbouring crops or the wider biodiversity then the advice would be against release and the consent would not be granted.

Health

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to resolve the Junior Hospital Doctors' grievances over long hours, working conditions and out of hours pay.

Susan Deacon: On 22 September I announced a package of measures designed to accelerate progress in reducing junior doctors' hours and improving existing working conditions in line with the New Deal targets and standards. The key elements of the package include;

  a new quality incentive scheme to reward NHS Trusts which achieve full compliance with the New Deal and encourage others to do so quickly;

  the removal of Trusts' discretion to charge for sub-standard junior doctors' accommodation;

  compliance with the New Deal targets and standards to become an integral part of the personal objectives of Trust Executive Board members;

  a new system of kite marking or New Deal accreditation to signify a Trust's compliance with the New Deal targets and standards;

  a willingness to work with the medical Royal Colleges to examine how consultants might be encouraged and enabled to improve the support they provide for junior doctors in training;

  work with Trusts to pilot imaginative and cost effective ways of reducing junior doctors hours still further towards the 48 hour Working Time Directive.

  These measures will complement the work of a New Deal Implementation Support Group (ISG) which the Scottish Executive has established, in partnership with the Scottish Junior Doctors' committee of the BMA, to work with Trusts and help them reduce junior doctors' hours and improve living conditions still further.

Highlands and Islands

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans they have to (a) assist the local economies of the Highlands and other rural areas of Scotland following recent fuel increases, and (b) make representations to Her Majesty's Government to look again into the effect of the present UK fuel tax in the Highlands and other rural areas.

Sarah Boyack: A range of Scottish Executive schemes are in place to help rural businesses and address the transport and other needs of rural communities, including Rural Public Passenger Transport Grant, Rural Community Transport Grant Scheme, Rural Petrol Station Grant Scheme, Social Inclusion Partnerships, the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund and the economic assistance schemes delivered through the Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise networks. These initiatives are informed by recent research on, amongst other things, car dependence, petrol stations and bus services in rural Scotland. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with DETR about a wide range of issues including rural transport.

Justice

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the cases currently under review by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission and in each case (a) specify the date of the first referral to the Commission or, if prior to the establishment of the Commission, the date on which the case was first referred to the Secretary of State for Scotland and (b) state the stage which has been reached in the review process and when the Commission expects to reach a conclusion.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission has a duty of confidentiality to applicants whose cases are being reviewed both under statute and in terms of the privacy provisions of the European Convention of Human Rights. For this reason it is not possible to give details of individual cases. However, I understand from the Commission that up until 7 October, it had received a total of 79 cases. Final decisions to refer or not to refer the matter to the Appeal Court have been made in five cases and decisions are imminent in six. A further 28 cases are under consideration, while review of 11 cases is in abeyance pending the outcome of appeals or of steps by applicants to lodge appeals. Review of the remaining 29 cases will commence as existing cases are dealt with. An additional case worker is being appointed to meet the demand.

  Of the total of 79 cases received by the Commission, 19 were originally submitted to the Secretary of State for Scotland and were transferred to the Commission when it came into operation on 1 April of this year. Thirty-two cases were received by the Commission in their first three months of operation and 28 cases in the period from 1 July to 7 October.

  Of the 19 cases first referred to the Secretary of State, 11 were received at various dates in the 12 months before the Commission assumed its functions and eight were received prior to that.

Justice

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to develop proposals for legislation to simplify agricultural holdings arbitration procedures.

Mr Jim Wallace: Ross Finnie and I have agreed that the Scottish Law Commission are well placed to take on this element. I have therefore sent them the following reference:

  "Taking account of the Land Reform Action Plan, to consider existing procedures for dispute resolution in the law on agricultural holdings, and other related matters, including appellate procedures, and to advise on possible reforms in jurisdiction and procedures with a view to improving access to justice and economy and speed and quality of justice."

Land Reform

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from Highlands & Islands Enterprise relating to improvements in the mechanisms for community ownership described in Land Reform: Proposals for Legislation and, if so, whether it will adjust its policy to incorporate the suggestions made in particular by using a wider definition of eligible community members than tenants and employees alone, providing an emergency "late registration" process for communities where land comes on the market unexpectedly, allowing existing bodies such as community councils to register an interest on behalf of a community, extending the time to be given to communities to assess whether they might buy land when it comes on the market, and pricing land at an economic rather than market value; and, if it will not adjust its policy in these ways, whether it will state its reason in each case.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have so far received 530 responses to the Land Reform White Paper, including one from Highlands and Islands Enterprise. There have been good ideas from all sides on how to make the proposals better, and we shall be making as much use as possible of all of these.

  I shall be announcing the outcome of this consultation in due course.

Lifelong Learning

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when its progress report on the Scottish University for Industry will be published and whether it will make a statement on the matter.

Henry McLeish: The Shortest Route to Learning - which sets out the Scottish Executive's vision for the Scottish University for Industry and describes progress made to-date - is published today. The Scottish UfI will be the hub of our plans to create a culture of lifelong learning in Scotland. Its services will be available to everyone. Through the Scottish UfI we can widen participation in learning and boost the capabilities of our workforce. I commend the document to you, copies of which are available through the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. I am also glad to announce today the appointment of Mr Frank Pignatelli as Chief Executive of the Scottish UfI. He will take up his duties shortly.

Local Government

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1207 by Mr Frank McAveety on 13 September 1999, what communication it has had with the Controller of Audit regarding the effectiveness of the new financial management system set up in East Ayrshire council.

Mr Frank McAveety: None. It is for the Controller of Audit to report to the Accounts Commission in the first instance.

Millennium Holiday

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive whether 4 January 2000 will be an additional public holiday to celebrate the millennium.

Mr Jim Wallace: There will be an additional public holiday on Friday 31 December 1999 to celebrate the millennium. In addition, 27 and 28 December 1999 and 3 and 4 January 2000 will be Bank Holidays in Scotland.

National Archives of Scotland

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement about the targets it expects the National Archives of Scotland Executive Agency to achieve in the financial year 1999-2000.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have set the National Archives of Scotland the following targets for 1999-2000:

  to reduce the unit cost of preserving and making available the Records of Scotland by 2.5% on the 1998-99 target in real terms;

  to increase the number of new catalogue entries available for public scrutiny on the electronic system by 25,000;

  to produce material for readers in 92.5% of cases in 30 minutes or less for material from the same building and in two days or less for material from elsewhere;

  to issue replies to 95% of correspondence within 15 days; and

  to process 90% of extracts for legal customers in four working days; and to process 92.5% of rapid copies within 24 hours.

Police

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will be in a position to inform Police Boards whether they are to receive additional funding to cover the millennium holiday period.

Mr Jim Wallace: On Friday 8 October I announced that we are now able to provide the police in Scotland with a special grant of £4.7 million to help meet the additional cost of policing over the millennium holiday period. A supplementary estimate will be submitted to the Scottish Parliament.

Police

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funds, if any, have been made available to Police Boards for capital projects such as provision of police cars in the financial year 1999-2000.

Mr Jim Wallace: Capital allocations to Police Boards, for the current financial year, were announced on 25 March 1999 and shown in the table below.

  


Force 


Section 94 Allocation
  £'000



Gross Capital 
  from
  Current Revenue
  £'000 


Total Funding
  Available
  £'000 




Central Scotland Police 
  

344 
  

309 
  

653 
  



Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary 
  

651 
  

246 
  

897 
  



Fife Constabulary 
  

990 
  

0 
  

990 
  



Grampian Police 
  

1,234 
  

750 
  

1,984 
  



Lothian and Borders Police 
  

1,272 
  

1,000 
  

2,272 
  



Northern Constabulary 
  

2,711 
  

0 
  

2,711 
  



Strathclyde Police 
  

9,732 
  

0 
  

9,732 
  



Tayside Police 
  

830 
  

150 
  

980 
  



TOTAL FUNDING 
  

17,764 
  

2,455 
  

20,219 
  



  These allocations allow for expenditure on permitted capital projects including the provision of police cars. Boards are also able to spend capital receipts on capital.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the current review of the tourist industry in Scotland should be conducted by a body independent of the Scottish Tourist Board.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Tourist Board, working in partnership with other Government agencies, the Area Tourist Boards, the industry itself through the Scottish Tourism Forum and other representative bodies, is best placed to undertake this task.